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20 critically acclaimed films that audiences hated
Paramount Pictures

20 critically acclaimed films that audiences hated

Critics and audiences have famously disagreed on whether films are good. While critics liked these 20 films, audiences weren't such fans. 

 
1 of 20

'Uncut Gems'

'Uncut Gems'
Uncut Gems A24

While some people were wondering why Adam Sandler didn’t get an Oscar nomination for his performance in Uncut Gems, others were wondering why anyone liked the film in the first place. The movie did result in Julia Fox giving us one of the best memes of all time, though, and that’s worth something. 

 
2 of 20

'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'

'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Zanuck Company

It’s hard to remake a classic, and there were far too many people with an attachment to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to be given a fair chance, even if it did star Johnny Depp and was directed by the inimitable Tim Burton. 

 
3 of 20

'Antz'

'Antz'
Antz DreamWorks Pictures

Critics loved this film for its cast and found it quite funny. Perhaps audiences didn’t like it because the ants looked more like aliens than bugs, and not in a good way. There’s something deeply unsettling about seeing an animated non-human version of Sylvester Stallone

 
4 of 20

'Spy Kids'

'Spy Kids'
Spy Kids Troublemaker Studios

Critics thought the original Spy Kids film was outstanding, but audiences did not agree. We have a theory, however, that the audiences who were asked were the adults forced to take their kids to see the film. There’s a strong group of millennial audiences who saw the film as kids that would side with the critics. 

 
5 of 20

'Married to the Mob'

'Married to the Mob'
Married to the Mob Orion Pictures

Critics really, really liked Married to the Mob . Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin, and Paul Lazar, it’s surprising that audiences didn’t feel the same way. But plenty have spoken about this late-’80s flick, and the viewer consensus is that there are dozens of others from the era worth watching first. 

 
6 of 20

'Ad Astra'

'Ad Astra'
Ad Astra 20th Century Fox

Are audiences tired of Brad Pitt? The response to 2019’s Ad Astra certainly suggests that to be the case. The general population did not like this film, but critics were dazzled by the aesthetics and the story. George Clooney floating in space apparently ruined all other astronaut movies for people. 

 
7 of 20

'Sausage Party'

'Sausage Party'
Sausage Party Columbia Pictures

Sausage Party seems like the type of movie critics would hate, and audiences would love. The cast is undeniably fantastic and funny, and the story is about an animated sausage. Nevertheless, viewers thought this movie was just plain bad, and critics were the ones singing its praises. 

 
8 of 20

'Stuart Little'

'Stuart Little'
Stuart Little Columbia Pictures

Similarly to Spy Kids, a group of millennials watched Stuart Little as kids and would beg to differ with audiences about whether it’s a good film. We’d chalk it up to being blinded by nostalgia, but critics liked the film, so it must have some merit. 

 
9 of 20

'Mother!'

'Mother!'
Mother! Protozoa Pictures

Now and then, a critical review comes out that has audiences wondering if they were even watching the same movie. But in the case of 2017’s Mother! starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, critics were acutely aware that although they were fans, audiences probably wouldn’t like the film. And the critics were right about that. 

 
10 of 20

'It Comes at Night'

'It Comes at Night'
It Comes at Night A24

Critics found this film thought-provoking and saw it as a unique take on the horror genre. Viewers thought it was boring and didn’t make a whole lot of sense. We’ll just say this: There’s a reason this movie isn’t included on many best-of lists for horror films. 

 
11 of 20

'Under the Skin'

'Under the Skin'
Under the Skin BFI

Under the Skin proves critical acclaim does not necessarily result in a commercially successful film. Very few people saw this film. It didn’t even make enough at the box office to satisfy its budget, and of the very few people who attended, most thought it was bad. 

 
12 of 20

'White Noise'

'White Noise'
White Noise NBGG Pictures

Noah Baumbach proves that you shouldn’t give up just because someone doesn’t like what you’ve done. Okay, maybe he’s a bad example. The man has been nominated for multiple Oscars. But the film White Noise, which Baumbach directed and co-wrote, was hated by audiences. The following year, Barbie, which he co-wrote, was released, and audiences loved it. 

 
13 of 20

'The Nutty Professor' (1996)

'The Nutty Professor' (1996)
The Nutty Professor (1996) Imagine Entertainment

The Nutty Professor is another film that seems like audiences would’ve liked more than critics, but it was the opposite. In the defense of critics, a fair share didn’t like it, but even more audience members were haters of this Eddie Murphy comedy. 

 
14 of 20

'King Kong' (2005)

'King Kong' (2005)
King Kong (2005) Universal Pictures

The original King Kong (1933) is the only one in its canon that’s universally loved. Every other version has either been met with mixed reviews or resounding disappointment. In 2005, critics thought King Kong had value, but audiences couldn’t be bothered. 

 
15 of 20

'Hail, Caesar!'

'Hail, Caesar!'
Hail, Caesar! Working Title Films

Sometimes, award season rolls around, and the general public sees a list of films they’ve never heard of. In 2017, Hail, Caesar! might’ve been one of those films for a lot of people. Not many people saw it, and the audiences that did see it didn’t like it. Critics and the Academy liked it, however, as it managed to be nominated for an Oscar the year following its release.  

 
16 of 20

'The Green Knight'

'The Green Knight'
The Green Knight A24

You’d expect a film starring Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander to be good. And according to critics, The Green Knight was good. Audiences weren’t so taken with it, though, and between that and it being released during COVID-19 times, the film didn’t do well commercially. 

 
17 of 20

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Lucasfilm Ltd.

It’s pretty rare for audiences not to like a Star Wars film, but Star Wars: The Last Jedi was one exception. While critics were taken with its emotional arc and appreciated the risks director Rian Johnson took, fans of the franchise were bored, and some were even insulted by the film. 

 
18 of 20

'Cosmopolis'

'Cosmopolis'
Cosmopolis Alfama Films

Cosmopolis was another instance where critics predicted that the film might not garner much audience praise. Viewers thought it was weird and boring, one of the worst combinations of adjectives for a film to receive. A movie might be able to get away with one or the other, but both are an affront. 

 
19 of 20

'Ghostbusters' (2016)

'Ghostbusters' (2016)
Ghostbusters (2016) Columbia Pictures

We’ll give this to critics: they’re typically better than audiences at giving remakes a chance to be seen with fresh eyes than audiences are. Audiences loved the original Ghostbusters so much there was a slim chance its remake would be as loved, especially considering it had female leads this go around. 

 
20 of 20

'Captain Marvel'

'Captain Marvel'
Captain Marvel Marvel Studios

If there’s one word filmmakers don’t want to be associated with a superhero movie, it’s boring. Unfortunately, that descriptor was attached to 2019’s Captain Marvel, and its reputation among audiences hasn’t recovered despite starring an Oscar winner and a handful of nominees. 

Acacia Deadrick

Acacia Deadrick is a South Dakota-based writer who has written for sites such as Nicki Swift, The List, and Glam. She loves music and all things pop culture, and she can be found watching TV, completing a crossword puzzle, or reading in her spare time. 

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